


Only Fools Rush In

by kyungscultleader



Series: Can’t Help Falling In Love With You [2]
Category: GOT7
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 11:51:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16722807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kyungscultleader/pseuds/kyungscultleader
Summary: Maybe it would all still end in tragedy, all Jackson really knows right now is that he is destined to fall in love with Mark Tuan, and he's pretty okay with that.Sequel to Take My Hand (Take My Whole Life, Too)





	Only Fools Rush In

**Author's Note:**

> This is purely a sequel for those who want a happy ending.

**05.Summer [pt. 2]**

 

Jackson thinks he’s going crazy when, in the middle of Jinyoung’s birthday party, he sees the birthday boy speaking to someone Jackson can only recognise as Mark. He still in his spot, heart racing, eyes wide and palms suddenly so sweaty he’s worried his beer will slide right out of his hand.

At this point he’s sure he’s had one shot too many and his eyes are deceiving him, but no matter how many times he squeezes his eyes closed, when he opens them Mark is all he sees. Mark, with his rich brown hair perfectly styled and his lush lips and cute smile showing his canines and his long neck that Jackson wants to lick - and then his mind conjures another, far less pleasant imagine of Mark in the middle of the road, usually warm eyes now lifeless and boring holes into Jackson.

He looks around for someone - anyone - to distract him and spots JB. He sets down his beer, wipes his hand on the sides of his jeans and heads over.

He has almost made his way to JB when he hears Jinyoung call his name. He doesn’t want to turn, but upon instinct at Jinyoung’s call he does. Jinyoung is heading toward him, Mark in tow, and Jackson wants to run and hide but it’s Jinyoung’s birthday and that’d be rude.

“Jackson,” he says with a wide, Jinyoung smile. Mark beside him is shy, smiling down at his shoes and peeking up at Jackson every now and then. It’s adorable and endearing and in all honesty Jackson wants to kiss him. He doesn’t though, because Mark doesn’t known him and that would make things weird. “Jackson, this is my friend Yien,”

Jackson is relieved to hear another name. Somehow, that helps Jackson separate imaginary Mark and real Mark. Somehow, Jackson thinks this will make the brunette easier to resist.

“It’s nice to meet you, Jackson,” Yien says with a small wave. Jackson’s heart leaps from his cheat but he wills himself to stay stoic. He won’t smile back, he won’t let even the idea of friendship into Mark’s - Yien’s - mind. If they become friends Jackson knows he will want more. He already wants more.

Jinyoung looks between them with a sly smile and says, “I’ll leave you two to it,”

With that, Jinyoung walks away. Yien is smiling at Jackson, but Jackson doesn’t smile back. He avoids eye contact and suddenly wishes he had his drink back in his hand.

Yien can tell that Jackson isn’t about to initiate any conversation, but he is nothing but persistent (especially when it involves cute boys) so he speaks first.

“I uh, I think I saw you at the park, like, last week,” he says, “you were with, oh, those two guys making out over there,”

“Yeah,” Jackson shrugs, “maybe,”

His tone is flat and he still won’t look at Yien. He thinks that if he does he’ll get so lost in the boy’s eyes he’ll never find his way out.

A brief silence blankets the air between them. The music is thumping in the background but it’s like they’re in another bubble and the rest of the world doesn’t really matter.

Yien looks at the man before him and his resolve hardens. He remembers the way his heart fluttered when he saw Jackson at that park, and then again in a photo with his friend, Jinyoung. He remembered how excited he was when Jinyoung said Jackson would be here and offered to introduce him.

Yien starts to speak again. “You know, I-”

“I need a drink,” Jackson says, promptly leaving. He couldn’t let himself stand there and talk to Ma- Yien because he knows he can’t stop himself from falling in love. He can already feel his heart breaks when he hears that voice now, while they’re still strangers. If anything were to happen to Yien while he were Jackson’s...Jackson couldn’t live with it. So, he leaves.

But Jackson doesn’t notice Yien’s frown as Jackson walks away, he doesn’t know this Yien - his stubbornness and determination. He doesn’t see the way Yien storms through the crowd behind him. He doesn’t see him until he’s made it to the back door and there’s someone grabbing his shoulder.

“Hey,” Yien snapped, spinning Jackson to face him. Jackson was surprised at the stern look on Yien’s face. More than that, he was dangerously attracted to the fire in Yien’s eyes. Jackson knows he has to get himself out of this situation before he does something stupid. Something like kiss Yien.

“What?” Jackson almost spits back.

“You can’t just walk away when someone is talking to you, do you know how rude that is?” Yien tells him with a glare.

“I don’t really care how rude it is,” Jackson replies, though he does. He doesn’t want to be rude to Yien, but he can’t let the other too close to him.

“Seriously, you don’t even know me yet and but you’re acting like you hate me. If you have a problem with me just say it,” Yien growls.

Jackson didn’t notice how close Yien had gotten to him in his anger. He is so close that Jackson can smell his cologne, he can see every one of the stars in his eyes and he can’t stop himself from looking at his lips.

He wants to speak, but he doesn’t know what he wants to say.

“Yien,” he begins, and said boy speaks before he can think of what to say next.

“You can call me Mark,” he says and Jackson feels his something wrap tight around his heart.

 _Mark_. Every memory comes flooding back. Every time he’d looked at Mark tonight, every time he’s thought about him for the past week, the image of Mark at the end had been at the forefront of his mind. But right now, for just a moment - this moment - that’s not what he thinks of. Every kiss, every touch, every hushed confession of love comes back to him and suddenly he’s complete taken, overcome with the amount of love he feels for this boy he doesn’t know yet. He can’t stop himself from grabbing Yien by the neck and pulling him in for a deep, spine tingling kiss.

The kiss is messy and passionate, a dance of tongues that Jackson is easily leading. Mark doesn’t seem to mind, either, as he grabs Jackson by the collar of his denim jacket and pulls him closer. Mark grinds down on him and he happily swallows the moan Jackson offers. Mark breaks the kiss, and he licks his lips as he stares at Jackson’s own, red and swollen and Mark can’t help but picture those lips somewhere else.

Maybe it’s only lust, or maybe it’s how much he’s had to drink tonight, but Mark kisses Jackson again and mumbles into his lips, “do you want to come back to my place tonight?”

And that sentence does it. Jackson snaps out of his Mark-induced haze and all he can think is _dead dead dead._ Jackson doesn’t say anything, he just leaves. He doesn’t look back to see the hurt and confused look on Mark’s face.

This time, Mark doesn’t follow.

 

 

 

 

Jackson doesn’t see Mark for another three weeks after that. He would be lying if he said he didn’t still think about that night with Mark, that _kiss._ It was so much more than could’ve ever imagined, and when he closes his eyes at night he can still feel Mark’s lips on his, feel his tongue and taste the alcohol in his breath. He can feel it all like it’s happening again and he relishes every second of it.

He would be lying if he said he doesn’t think about kissing Mark every moment of every day. But he can’t let it happen again, he refuses to let himself feel what he thinks he feels. He can’t be the reason that Mark gets hurt, and even if it wouldn’t be because of him he can’t bare knowing there’s even the smallest possibility he could lose Mark.

When he finally does see Mark again, he is the least bit ready for it.

It’s a Tuesday morning, the coffee shop Jackson usually goes to is closed for the day (a family crisis, the sign on the door tells him) so he decides to go to the cafe Jinyoung works at. The coffee there is good, plus he gets to see Jinyoung, it’s just a little out of the way. He doesn’t mind too much today - he’s caught up on most of his paperwork, and his meeting isn’t for another hour yet.

He isn’t looking when he walks in, he’s too busy sending a quick text to the building’s secretary to let her know he won’t be in for a while. He pulls at his tie, they’ve always felt so suffocating to him and it’s one of the only downsides to his job, he thinks.

“Hey, what can I get for you?” A deep, almost lazy voice greets, and Jackson stops dead. He knows that voice too well, he’s spent weeks dreaming of it, after all.

He looks up and his eyes meet Mark’s.

Jackson tenses and feels his breath leave him like he’s just been punched in the gut. Mark looks beautiful, as ever, in his white tee-shirt (with the already short sleeves rolled up a little to enhance his perfectly carved biceps), and denim apron. Jackson can’t see his bottom half from this side of the counter, but he can imagine so clearly those black skinny jeans that Mark loves and how good his ass always looks in them.

Jackson suddenly remembers his own appearance and immediately straightens both his tie and his posture.

The brunette blinks once, twice, and there’s a second where he thought he might be dreaming - what was Jackson doing here?

Mark asks just that. “What are you doing here?”

Jackson is taken aback for a moment and forgets why he really is here. Mark has always had that effect on him though, some magical ability to make Jackson forget about every, lose focus on everything but the beautiful boy.

“Uh, coffee,” he says, taking a step closer to the counter to order and pay. As soon as he does, Mark takes a step back.

Jackson doesn’t miss the way that the boy crosses his arms over his chest, and Jackson wonders just how much he hurt Mark when he left him like that.

“Fine,” Mark says, and he doesn’t quite meet Jackson’s gaze, “I’ll go get Jinyoung, he can serve you,”

Jackson doesn’t protest, and he thinks its better for both of them that way.

Mark rushes out of sight, and it’s Jinyoung that emerges a few moments later. For some reason, even Jinyoung looks pissed at Jackson. The cold glare and crossed arms, paired with a puffed out chest, are all things that Jackson as seen before, but Jackson isn’t so sure what he’s done this time.

“The usual?” Jinyoung says, but his tone is short and Jackson is a little intimidated, so he just nods and hands over some money.

When Jinyoung hands him the change and stomps across to the coffee machine, Jackson shoves the last few notes into a jar labelled _Tips for Mark_. He walks around to where Jinyoung is.

“I didn’t know Mark worked here,” Jackson starts lamely, unsure of really what to say. The air feels thick and awkward and Jackson wasn’t sure how to fix any of it.

Jinyoung scoffs and says, “I’m sure you didn’t. Maybe you would have if you’d bothered to have a conversation with him before you kissed him and ditched him,”

Jackson wants the earth to swallow him. Of course Mark would tell Jinyoung, they are friends and obviously closer than Jackson knew, and of course Jinyoung would be pissed at him. Jackson knows he was a jerk to Mark, and he shouldn’t have just left him alone at the party, but he knows he did it for both of their own good.

“I didn’t-” Jackson tries to explain, but Jinyoung doesn’t let him.

“Oh please,” he rolls his eyes and pours Jackson’s coffee. He slams the takeaway cup down on the counter and comes down the little steps to stand before Jackson, “Look me in the eyes ad tell me, right now, that you couldn’t see how _obviously_ into you he was at my party,”

Jackson is the one avoiding Jinyoung’s gaze now. He knew. He’s been wanting to pretend that he couldn’t see how smitten Mark was with him, how much the elder was striving for Jackson’s attention. Jackson was more than aware, and it only made him work harder to dissuade Mark.

“I knew,” he admits. He doesn’t like to lie to Jinyoung and even if he tried to Jinyoung could always see right through him.

“So why the fuck did you think it would be a good idea to kiss him like that and then _leave_ , without a single word?”

Jackson doesn’t really know how to answer, so he answers as honestly as he can, “I never wanted to hurt him,”

The words hold so much weight that Jinyoung will never be able to understand. His whole attitude toward Mark, his standoffishness and avoidance is all because he doesn’t want to hurt Mark.

“You did though, Jackson. Call it stupid, but Mark really likes you. He came into work one day and he was all smiles, and when I asked what was up he told me about this guy he saw at some park and he was just _gone_. He was so excited when Bam and Yugyeom stopped by and I figured out the guy was you. He was so excited to meet you and treat him like that,” Jinyoung’s words are cutting into Jackson and he just wants to hide, “That’s pretty gross, Jackson, and so unlike you,”

“I’m sorry,” he says, and adds, quietly, “Is he okay?”

Jinyoung tells him, “Honestly, Jackson, he’s a little heartbroken. Yeah, okay, maybe he shouldn’t have got his hopes up about you so much and let his feelings for you grow before he met you, but I take some responsibility for that. I got excited thinking I could hook you guys up and I talked you up a lot, I really thought you would like him. But he feels used, and you can’t blame him for that,”

Jackson’s heart breaks all over again.

“If it’s any consolation,” he starts, and he knows it’s not but he tells Jinyoung anyway, “I do like him,”

“Then do us all a favour, Jackson, and sort your shit out. Whatever’s going on up there, work it out and make a choice. Mark is my friend, you can’t avoid him forever, and he won’t wait forever, either,”

The thought of Mark with someone else makes Jackson sick to his stomach. His mind shows him images of another man touching Mark the way Jackson wants to, kissing Mark the way Jackson dreams about and he wants to vomit.

“Yeah,” he swallows hard, “thanks,”

Jackson can’t leave fast enough.

 

 

 

 

Another week passes and Jackson is wound tighter than ever. Things are tense with Jinyoung, he’s confused about his feelings for Mark and his fear of losing him, not to mention work is piling up again. His head feels so foggy and full and he doesn’t feel like he is really capable of sorting out his feelings, right now, like Jinyoung wants him too, like Mark needs him to.

He knows he has to act quick, too. Jinyoung was right, Mark won’t wait around forever. He’s funny and kind and so, so beautiful, and Jackson can’t string him along much longer before someone else comes in and wins Mark over. But, maybe Mark deserves someone else, maybe someone else can love him like Jackson isn’t able to.

He shakes it off and decides he needs to do something for himself. He needs a night to forget about work and Jinyoung and Mark and the butterflies he gets when he thinks of him and how much of an asshole he was and kissing Mark. Jackson can’t stop thinking about kissing Mark. He can’t stop thinking about Mark, and feelings. So, he decides to take himself out to the almost-midnight screening of some new horror movie. What better way to get his mind off of his feelings, he thinks, than some mindless gore.

He doesn’t manage to stop thinking about Mark the whole drive there. Not when he was buying his ticket or finding his seat or absentmindedly watching to too-loud and far too cheery ads before the movie starts. He doesn’t stop thinking about Mark when someone sits down beside him.

“Jackson?” He hears, and _are you kidding_?

Mark is here too? Jackson is starting to think that he’s cursed - or maybe he’s blessed, but either way he’s beginning to think he’s destined to know Mark.

Jackson isn’t sure how he’s supposed to respond, so he just starts talking and seems unable to stop himself. “Oh, Mark, hi, oh, shit, should I leave? Shit, I’ll move, sorry,”

The blonde makes a move to stand and leave but he feels a warm hand on his forearm and he’s paralysed.

“No, stay, it’s okay that you’re here,” Mark says, “I was rude the other day, I shouldn’t put my shit on you. You don’t owe me anything, we don’t even know each other,”

“I want you to know me,”

Jackson isn’t sure why he says that, but he also knows he couldn’t stop himself.

Mark gives him a small, heart melting smile. “I’d like to know you, too,”

A small silence passes over them as the movie begins. Mark leans over into him and holds out a small box that says _popcorn_ and offers some to Jackson, their own version of an olive branch. They talk amongst themselves throughout the movie, laughing at the easy kills and hiding their faces in each other’s shoulders and only quieting down when someone hisses a sharp _shh_ their way.

By the end of the movie they seem to have found their footing with one another and exchange numbers. Jackson lets himself hope that he can still have Mark in his life, if not as a lover then at least as a friend. He knows he’ll still fall, he can feel it in his bones, he can feel Mark everywhere, but he decides he’ll deal with that when he gets to it.

They text almost all day, everyday for the next few days. Jackson is relearning Mark, his likes and dislikes and dreams. Jackson is replacing everything he thought he knew about Mark and he can already feel himself falling deeper than ever before. It was dangerous and he knew it.

But every day, little by little, the memory of Mark’s lifeless fades a little from his memory and it’s replaced with the image of Mark smiling or laughing or saying Jackson’s name. Jackson thinks that’s the most dangerous part of it all, and he knows he needs to be more cautious.

Jackson has started getting up twenty minutes earlier every day to go to the coffee shop a little out of his way, just to see Mark’s smile before he starts his day. Jinyoung, for some reason, still seems a little unsure when he sees the two together, and Jackson isn’t sure why.

Mark and Jackson have developed a bit of a routine at this point. Every morning Jackson goes to get his coffee, every other day Jackson will go to the cafe to spend his lunch break with Mark, and every Friday night, they go together to an almost-midnight showing of whatever bad movie is playing.

They’ve found a way for their friendship to work, they know their place with one another. They had a routine, and that’s why Jackson should’ve known something was up when Mark texted him asking to meet after the cafe closed tonight.

He goes, because of course he will go. Mark is asking, and that’s all it’ll ever take for Jackson to run to him. That knowledge worries Jackson. He’s trying not to get too close to Mark, so the way the elder has Jackson wrapped around his finger reminds Jackson he has to be cautious, but he can’t seem to remember that quite soon enough because he all but runs to the cafe once it hits closing time.

The door is locked and the lights are off, but the moment he shoots Mark a text to let him know he’s there, Mark is bounding out from the back to unlock the door and usher him in. Jackson is a little curious, but he just lets Mark lead him because the moment he sees Mark smile he’s enchanted. He lets Mark take his now-sweaty hand. His heart is pounding as Mark leads him around the back and Jackson swears he sees a small flicker of warm orange light before they completely turn the corner and Jackson’s heart stops, for just a moment.

They are back in the kitchen of the cafe, Mark is standing beside the centre island, hands behind his back and looking so proud of himself. On the table, there are two coffees, each with a little latte-art heart, and a group of vanilla scented candles lighting the room in a cozy, orange glow.

Jackson swallows the lump in his throat. Is Mark about to confess? Jackson doesn’t know how he will react if he does.

Jackson tries to say something, anything, “Mark, I-”

Mark doesn’t let him.

“No, wait,” Mark’s hands come around from behind his back and he holds out a small bouquet of roses, the exact shade of orange that Jackson told Mark he loves so much. “Here, these are for you,”

What can Jackson do but take them? He doesn’t want to break Mark’s heart, but he doesn’t know if he can get past the memories of Mark, dead.

“I have something to say,” Mark says, “I know we’re just friends at the moment, and we haven’t really pushed that line since the first night at the party, but I like you a lot, Jackson, and I think you like me too,” Mark gives him the briefest, hopeful smile. (All Jackson can think is dead). “I can see the way you look at me. I can see the way your eyes linger when I’m not completely looking, I can feel the flirtation when you touch me, I can even tell when you’re staring at my ass,” he finishes with a laugh, but Jackson can’t quite smile back. “I like you, Jacks, and I want to be with you. I think you wanna be with me too,”

Mark’s smile is so soft, so beautiful it takes Jackson’s breath away. Jackson wants, more than anything, to be with Mark, too. He wants to hold Mark and kiss him and tell him everyday how much he worships him, but then he thinks of what could happen.

What if Mark dies if he ends up with Jackson? Jackson isn’t naive enough to think it’s chance that he and Mark keep meeting, or that Jackson keeps falling for him, but to what end? The only end Jackson knows is one he never wants to live through.

So, despite his head screaming at him _don’t do it!_ , he tells Mark, “I can’t,”

The words sound wrong, fake, even to his own ears, but in his head it’s the right thing to do (even when his heart and soul are both screaming otherwise).

Mark’s face falls, and he suddenly looks so small and broken and Jackson feels so guilty. He wants to hold Mark’s hand, to hug him, kiss him. Anything, to comfort him, but he knows that will just make things worse.

‘What?” Mark breathes, “I thought…Jackson, I know I wasn’t imagining this thing between us. You want me too, I _know_ you do!”

“I’m sorry,” Jackson ducks his head. He can’t bear to look at Mark’s crestfallen face any longer.And then he lets out his biggest lie yet, the one that breaks both of their hearts. “But I don’t want to be with you,”

Mark is silent for a moment, but Jackson can feel the hurt and anger radiating off him.

“Fine,” Mark is seething, but there are tears in his eyes. His arms are crossed and his eyes are shooting daggers at Jackson, but Jackson can see every wall that Mark has just put up. “Fine, you don’t want to be with me. So don’t. Don’t talk to me, don’t text me, I don’t want you in my life anymore. I can’t be your friend, Jackson, because I’ve opened up my heart to you so much andI’m falling for you and _this_ hurts. So I’m done. I’m moving on. Stay out of my life,”

He wants to apologise, but he doesn’t want to make it worse than it already is.

So, Jackson leaves. On his way out, he spares one last glance at that orange bouquet, the thoughtful token of Mark’s affections, and he drops it in the trash, leaving the flowers to die.

 

 

 

 

Jackson mopes around for the rest of Summer and he feels more alone than he has before. Jinyoung seems angrier than ever, he’s completely lost his relationship with Mark, JB doesn’t want to take sides between his brother and his now-fiancee, and Bambam and Yugyeom are so preoccupied with moving in together and each other to really spend any proper time with Jackson lately.

He’s barely been eating, living off of 2-minute noodles and instant coffee, he hasn’t been focused at work when he bothers to show up, and he doesn’t think he’s washed this pair of sweatpants all month. He knows he should get his shit together, but he can’t seem to find the motivation. What’s the point without Mark? Who is there to impress? No one. He thought he would have

Jackson doesn’t think he could possibly feel any worse. Not until he receives a text from Jinyoung, letting him know that reads:

_Heads up, Mark is bringing a date to the engagement party tonight. I know you said you don’t want to be with him, and I’m still pissed at you but it’s only because I know you. I know you want him, and I don’t know why you’re denying it, but I felt like I should warn you._

And then Jackson just wants to bail on this engagement party altogether. If just the thought of Mark with someone else was enough to make Jackson want to vomit, then he doesn’t know how he’s going to handle really seeing it.

Turns out, he doesn’t. The moment he walks into the venue his eyes immediately find Mark, and the tall, broad-shouldered man beside him with his hand on the small of Mark’s back. He almost goes to turn and leave, but JB spots him and comes over to greet him.

Jackson hugs JB and congratulates him for the nth time since he proposed.

“How’s the party?” Jackson asks, but his attention is on Mark and the man whispering something in his ear.

JB starts to respond, but Jackson can’t focus on what he’s saying when there’s someone else playing with Mark’s hair and making him laugh in the way that Jackson loves.

_Loves._

Shit.

 _Shit shit shit_ , is all Jackson thinks as he realises just how acutely he fucked up.

He should be the one with Mark right now. He should be kissing him and making him laugh. Mark should be with Jackson, not this guy who doesn’t even know Mark. Jackson hates himself for not taking his chance.

“Uh, Jackson?” JB says, “are you even listening to me right now?”

Jackson’s head snaps back to Mark and he gives a tight lipped smile. He tries to stop his gaze from wandering back over JB’s shoulder as they talk.

“Yeah, of course,” he tells him, and he hopes JB can’t see the way he’s clenching his fists watching the man run his hands through Mark’s hair.

JB gives him a knowing smirk.

“No you aren’t,” he looks behind him at Mark and then back at Jackson, “you should go tell him how you feel. Jinyoung told me what happened, but Mark everyone can see that Mark is pretty into you,”

Jackson’s shoulders slump as he sighs. “I can’t hyung, I fucked it all up,”

“No you haven’t, you just have to be honest with him. Have I ever told you how I ended up with Jinyoung?” He continues only when Jackson shakes his head. “He confessed to me, first. I kind of already knew, and I was falling for him too, but I was so scared of losing him after what happened with Youngjae that I tried to ignore it.

“Then, one night, Jinyoung was over and we were laying in my bed, he thought I was asleep but he told me he was falling in love with me. In my fear of losing him if he got too close to me, I told him that he should stop, and that I didn’t feel the same. I was harsh with what I said, and he was so hurt that he didn’t talk to me for a while.

“I didn’t know why I said what I did - I knew it was untrue, and I almost lost him even as a friend because I was so afraid and broke his heart just to protect my own, instead of just pretending I was asleep or being honest about my feelings.

“And then I got sick of it. I got sick of the silence and not having him and even though he was mad I told him how I felt and, now we’re engaged. So go. Shoot your shot, Jackson,”

Jackson, filled with a whole new sense of determination, hugs JB, thanks him and stalks over to Mark and the man with him. Without a word, Jackson takes Mark’s hand, ignoring the protests of the boy and his date, and pulls the brunette into the empty laundry room. Somewhere, amongst a foggy haze at the back of his mind, this scene feels eerily familiar, like he’s been here before. He doesn’t dwell on it since Mark is already snapping at him.

“Jackson, what the fuck?” He makes a move to leave but Jackson is blocking the door.

“Please don’t leave, I need to talk to you,” Jackson pleads.

“I told you to stay out of my life,” Mark’s tone is angry but Jackson won’t back down now.

“I know, but please just give me two minutes to explain,”

“You’ve broken my heart twice now, isn’t that enough?” Suddenly Mark doesn’t sound as angry, mostly just hurt.

“No!” Jackson says, not realising how that sounded until it comes out and immediately struggles to fix it, “shit, no, I mean, no, I don’t want to break your heart, I want you to leave your boyfriend!”

Jackson’s eyes widen in embarrassment, Mark’s in disbelief. There is a silent, uncomfortable beat that passes between them. The feeling in the air was one that Jackson hadn’t felt between them before and it makes him wonder if he really has missed his shot.

“ _What_?” Mark all but screams, with no care if the others outside could hear him. “You can’t say that, I _told_ _you_ I was moving on!”

“Well, I don’t believe that! I can’t believe what you said when you were angry because if I do that means I have no chance when I’m in love with you!”

The tension in the air seems to evaporate immediately with his confession.

“Say that again,” Mark orders quietly, the hint of a smile growing on his face.

Jackson matches his smile, takes a tentative step forward and says, “I’m in love with you,”

Mark takes a step this time, “again,”

“I’m in love with you,” he tells him, beaming, his heart pounding a million miles a minute. Then, he really takes his chance as he steps forward and steals Mark’s lips in a kiss.

He waits, his lips pressed to Mark’s, for the boy to push him away, for the slap, for more yelling. It doesn’t come. To Jackson’s surprise, and delight, the next move made between them is Mark wrapping his arms around Jackson’s neck and deepening the kiss, letting his warm tongue run across Jackson’s lips in a way that almost has Jackson moaning already.

Their kiss is passionate and loving, but wild and messy. It’s a clash of tongues and biting lips and it’s exactly what they’ve been waiting for.

Then, Mark breaks the kiss and Jackson’s world stops.

“Wait, wait,” he says and then he smiles, “I’m in love with you, too,”

Jackson’s head is spinning. He’s kissing Mark again, like he’s been dreaming about for months and it’s better than ever before, because he thinks Mark loves him too. There’s a moment of fear, when he almost regrets this because what if something happens to Mark? But he pushes that thought away as he pushes Mark against a washer-dryer and starts kissing down his neck. He won’t regret anything more than if he didn’t take a chance with Mark. He refuses to live his life in fear. Fate keeps bringing them together, who is Jackson to deny that?

Jackson feels a hand slip between them to the front of his pants and this time he does moan aloud. Mark’s hand works magic on him, and he’s in such a lustful daze that it takes him a moment to return the favour.

His hands work hastily at undoing Mark’s jeans just enough for Jackson to pull them down to his milky thighs. Jackson takes Mark into his hand and matches Mark’s strokes. The look on Mark’s face of pure bliss, his head thrown back exposing his long neck, is almost enough for Jackson to cum already.

He leans over Mark and licks a long, hot stripe up his neck. He tastes like Mark and a thin layer of sweat and Jackson hasn’t felt so turned on in a long time.

Mark wraps his free hand around the back of Jackson’s neck and pulls him close to whisper, “Jacks, I want you,”

Jackson kisses Mark once more and mumbles into his lips, “I’m all yours, Mark,” he breaks the kiss to look at Mark properly, “I’m all yours if you’re all mine,”

“Fuck, Jacks, you know I’ve always been yours,”

They kiss again and hurry to remove all of their clothes. Jackson takes in the sight of Mark’s body and he’s even more beautiful than Jackson remembered. He wonders briefly how he got so lucky to have Mark.

Mark runs his hands down Jackson’s torso, stopping at his hips and gripping them tight.

“How do you want it?” Mark asks, his voice so seductively low that Jackson has to swallow a lump that’s formed in his throat.

“I want you to fuck me,” he tells him. For months now he’s been desperate for the feeling of Mark filling him up.

Mark fucks Jackson gently, so no one can hear, but also because he’s in love and he doesn’t want to hurt Jackson. They can slightly hear the party going on outside the room, but in here it’s just the two of them. Soft moans and gasps fill the air and Jackson’s orgasm hits far too soon. Mark follows just after him and the two continue to kiss lazily, once they’re both finished.

With a cheeky smile, Jackson uses one of Jinyoung’s dirty t-shirts to clean them both up and discards it back into the hamper when he’s done.

“So,” he starts, “does this mean I get to call you my boyfriend?”

Mark smiles and kisses him. “I would hope so,”

Jackson hesitates, second guessing himself before deciding fuck it, and asks, “do you wanna get out of here? We can grab some coffee, head back to my place?”

And that’s exactly what they do.

They run out of the laundry together, hand in hand. Jackson calls out a “thank you, congrats again, goodbye!” to Jinyoung and JB (who stand there laughing and shaking their heads that ot took so long) and Mark says a quick “I’m sorry but I’m in love with him,” to his date (who doesn’t seem all too surprised) and they’re gone.

They talk and kiss and make love until the sun comes up and the sky turns a rich magenta outside Jackson’s window. They don’t sleep, each too enthralled with the other to think about closing their eyes for even a moment.

In the very back of his mind, Jackson is aware of the million terrible ways this could end, but he also knows he has no control over that. So, he pushes the fear aside and relishes in loving Mark. Maybe it would all still end in tragedy, all Jackson really knows right now is that he is destined to fall in love with Mark Tuan, and he's pretty okay with that.

**Author's Note:**

> I am so sorry this wasn’t edited and I wrote it during the ungodly hours.


End file.
